As I type this, we do not have internet service at the mission house.  However, we do have electricity.  It is almost 9:30PM and I am sitting in the office at the seminary where Kirk Lightfield graciously came and got me online.  I am here because Chris Howell is laying tile in an office.  It is actually a continuation of a job started by Tony Hacker last June.

We had a good Saturday.  The house that wasn’t completely finished yesterday was finished today and three more were built to the point of being ready for the cement.  Four more were cemented today.  So, that makes 11 ready for cement with 8 of those having received cement.  Four are completely finished.

We only built until 12:30PM and then we returned to the farm for a block party with the children from Paul & Cristy’s church.  However, we had to literally pull the blue pick up out from a house and were very, very blessed that it did not tumble down a hillside.  I have never seen anything like it and hope to never see it again.

We very much appreciate Katie Parker bringing the team to do the block party.  They were from Knoxville, TN which didn’t make me real happy but they were great folks!

We had a praise and prayer service at 6:00PM and it was special.  Afterwards, we enjoyed supper and the team members are now just getting ready for tomorrow.  We have a full day!

Thanks for taking the time to read this entry and please keep praying for us!

P.S. – I take no blame for any errors in this post and I don’t have my glasses with me!

As I type this, we do not have an internet connection at the mission house and haven’t had one since we returned from our day of ministry.  As a matter of fact, we returned home to no electricity and basically had to eat supper in the dark.  By the way, I have a call into Al about this lack of connection issue.

Good day!  This team is comprised of 44 members and 21 of them are first timers on a GRACE trip.  Since two remained at home to cook that meant that exactly half of our builders were totally unsure of what we were doing.

God blessed and we were able to build 7 (three walls/roof on) houses and another is very close to being at that point.  Four of the seven received cement today.  This team is building in Aldea Tunino and the climbs were significant.

Everyone is well.  Tomorrow we will host a block party for the children just over the mountain (Paul & Cristy’s church) and that will be a good time.  The morning will see us focus on building/finishing houses.

Pray for us.  The internet/phone is spotty.  However, we will try to update daily and no post simply means no internet.

(Wrote this last night at 8:30PM and am posting at 5:30AM because we just got internet service – sorry!)

Just a quick word that we all arrived safe and sound at the mission house around 2:00PM.  A quick meeting then it was off to lunch/supper combo followed by another meeting.  Everyone is now settling down for the night as our Friday begins with a 6:30AM devotion.  Thanks for the prayers & support!  Lord willing, I will blog again tomorrow night.

WORDS TO ENCOURAGE FROM GUATEMALA

Pastor Bob

BE FLEXIBLE – Teddie gives us a wrist band at the beginning of the week. It has Grace Ministries” written on one side, and “Be Flexible” on the other.  Teddie says that’s important on this trip.  Teddie is so right, even if he is an Alabama fan.  Seldom is the day experienced the way it was planned.  Today bears that out, for many of us, Teddie included.  I’lll let Teddie tell his story.  Here is mine. 

I was assigned to “The Concrete Crew”.  That’s a lot like punishment.  After a drive of nearly 1 1/2 – hours we arrived at the building site.  Traveling up the narrow, winding, steep, steep, steep roads I figured we were close to heaven.  The construction crews were unloaded.  They headed off to their sites.  As I looked turned around I saw the concrete crew leave without me.  A mis-communication due to my lack of Spanish language ability might have contributed to that.  I walked for another 1 1/2 hours up and down mountain trails trying to find Max (my spanish speaking crew).  I’m not sure which was preferable- not being able to find my crew, or finding him.  Having found him we mixed concrete for the houses.

At the end of the day all was well. Some 15 houses have been built (5 to go). Over 500 patients have been seen by the Doctors. The Seminary is being painted.  Many children have been blessed.  The day did not go as we planned it, but I have a feeling it went the way God planned it.

BE FLEXIBLE –

Blessings from Guatemala, Pastor Bob

We started off the day with a devotion by Bro. Teddie. It was a great time of worship….we actually have a full band here this year! We then went to church with Pastor Max’s family. It was awesome to be able to worship God with other members of the family of God, even if they do not speak the same language as we do. We of course, went to eat and then spent most of the day shopping. Finally, we ended the day at a village, where we gave out food and clothes and we were greatly blessed by those people. We are looking forward to what God will do tomorrow! — Melissa

Internet issues have prevented me from posting for the past two nights.  However, with FaceBook and the other social sites I am not so sure this blog is as vital in keeping folks posted as it may have been at one time.  I do apologize for the tardiness of this post.

Friday was a good day as we sent seven ladies to the seminary to begin cooking for the Saturday afternoon wedding reception, sent three folks to Panimaquin to complete/dedicate the house that was started on Tuesday, sent three teams to Santa Cruz Balanya to dedicate the houses, and sent a team to San Lucas in the afternoon to build & dedicate the 20th house.    Everything went without a hitch with the greatest news being that three folks prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Savior during the house dedications.  Praise the Lord!

Tom & Shari Compagner, Mark Mast, & myself attended the civil wedding ceremony for Samuel & Reyna in the late afternoon.  It was good as it only lasted thirty-five minutes.  That marked their “officially” being married.

Saturday saw some ladies go back to the seminary to finish preparing the food for the wedding reception, a group go to Casa Aleluya for a visit, some set up tables & chairs on the seminary soccer field for the reception, some deliver the wedding cake from the bakery, and some folks just hang around the house.  I participated in the wedding of Juan Marcos Ruiz & Luckey at noon.  It took place at his parent’s house and was an absolutely beautiful outdoor wedding. 

We all attended the 2:00PM wedding of Samuel & Reyna at Rios de Agua Viva Church.  It was nice and Samuel looked very sharp in the suit he purchased while in the States this past August.  The reception was very nicely done by the team as they served the food and cleaned up afterwards.  They were so intent on making this special day even more special.  Thank you team members for being so kind to this newlywed couple!

I have to give “props” to John & Laurie King and Louise Mason for their help in coordinating the wedding reception.  They all had a special role and they filled it very, very well!  What wonderful people!  (Well, two of three isn’t bad! LOL!)

Today, the team will attend the morning service at Pastor Max’s church before heading to Antigua.  Twenty-five head home tomorrow while the eighteen Canadians stay until Wednesday. 

My trip ends today as I am flying out this afternoon in anticipation of becoming a grandparent very, very soon.  It probably won’t happen for three weeks since I am going home but that is okay as I need to be with our daughter, Daphne, and my wife.  We are excitedly awaiting the arrival of Titus! 

Pray for this team as they go about the final day(s) of this trip.  They have been absolutely awesome!  Thanks for taking the time to read these blog entries.  Blessings!

Good news – the missing luggage has been found!  Bad news – it is in Austin, Texas! 

Brad Kleinjans has had a wonderful attitude about the whole ordeal.  Pray that his luggage would get here at some point today.  To quote Scripture – “by now he stinketh!”  Thanks for praying!

The Lord Jesus certainly smiled on us today and gave us another blessed day.  The block party was not well attended due to the children in La Pinada having to be in school until 4:00PM.  Obviously, we didn’t know that beforehand.  However, those children who did come had a blast!  Our team members did well in ministering to them.  Special thanks to Mike Parker for being available.  Pray for him as he has an important meeting on Monday that could impact the direction of his ministry for years to come. 

The block party ended at noon and we got to the building sites around 12:45PM.  Shortly after 4:00PM all eleven houses had been completed and we began the dedication process.  As we were beginning that process, the heavens opened and the rains came in buckets.  However, we simply walked through it and dedicated all eleven over the next hour and a half or so. 

Soy & I had the privilege of being with Pastor Max and standing inside of one of the just completed houses as the rains came.  We shared Christ with them and Arturo & Monica asked Jesus into their hearts.  Praise the Lord! 

I found the Pastor, Hilmar, who has been working with us the past two days and Whitney Bryant & I took him to that house.  He spoke to this young couple and is going to be doing the follow up and discipleship.  That’s what it is all about! 

Tomorrow is set to be a typical Sunday here.  We will be praying for our respective churches as they meet tomorrow too.  Again, thanks for taking the time to read this entry and a special thanks for your prayers.  Keep praying!

I failed to mention in last night’s post that Jack Ciak from Casa Aleluya spent the entire day working with us yesterday.  He is a “glory hog” (LOL) so I knew that I had better get his name in!  He is a good worker and a great guy to have on a team b/c of his attitude. 

Pray for Jack & Carolyn as they go through the final stages of the adoption process with Olga.  They are dear friends of GRACE Ministries and will be missed once they leave Guatemala bound for that other foreign country – Arkansas!

We had a nice first day of doing ministry.  Our team went to La Pinada to build.  Our friend, Mike Parker, put us onto this village because of his connection with a Pastor there.  We were told it was going to be a tough build and the hills were – tough! 

This crew has a mind to work.  They built all eleven houses that we had been asked to build in this village and poured the cement in five of them and five have all four sides on them.  We thank God for a strong first day and for excellent weather.

Tomorrow, we are hosting a block party in La Pinada.  Afterwards, we will put the hardware on the doors/windows as the hardware store did not have them in stock but should have them in the morning.  We will also cement the remaining six and, if the weather is favorable, will completely finish in that village.  It should be a good day! 

The only “fly in the ointment” is that the delayed MI passenger doesn’t have his luggage yet – long story.  He & Soy will go to the airport in the morning to see if it can be located.  I feel it is probably in Guatemala.   

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and thanks for your prayers.  Keep praying!